ASU Football: 2022 four-star defensive back Jaylin Marshall chooses Sun Devils over 30+ offers

Jaylin Marshall became the second member of the 2022 recruiting class to announce his intentions to play college football for Arizona State on Wednesday.

Marshall, a four-star defensive back per 247sports, heralds from Hallandale, Fla. Over 30 colleges offered the 6-3, 190-pound prospect, including Penn State, Oklahoma, Michigan, LSU, Florida, Auburn, and Alabama.

However, it was clear ahead of Marshall’s 17th birthday where he wanted to play.

Marshall posted his verbal commitment to play for the Sun Devils on social media.

“I am truly grateful and blessed to experience a once in a lifetime opportunity to play college football,” Marshall wrote. “I’m realizing all the prayers, focusing in school, hard work training on and off the field is placing me in a position to be successful.”

He also thanked his parents, family, coaches, and teammates before expressing his excitement to play for ASU and the program’s coaches.

Marshall earned top-20 recognition from 247sports in their national rankings, which also ranked him as the No. 44 overall player in Florida. Rivals tabbed Marshall as the 29th-best safety in the nation and the 45th-best in Florida.

The budding safety said he felt like he connected with ASU’s coaching staff the best out of all his potential destinations, specifically new defensive backs coach Chris Hawkins.

“I feel like he understands me because he’s a young coach so I feel like me and him will have a great bond,” Marshall told 247sports.com. “I think the history of their coaching staff is phenomenal. It’s guys who have done it at the highest level in the NFL, know what they’re talking about, have defeated adversity.

“It’s just a blessing to be able to have that type of connection with them. Me and Chris Hawkins, we relate to being like a similar age. Just me talking to him, he understands me, he sees me for who I am. Me talking to him, I think I’ll feel more comfortable playing for him.”

Marshall is the third prospect from Florida in two years to leave their home state and make their way west. In the 2020 recruiting cycle, the Sun Devils earned commits from running back D.J. Taylor (Tampa) and versatile cornerback Tommi Hill (Orlando).

Taylor extended his congratulations and excitement to play with Marshall on Twitter.

Marshall joins Carter Brown, a kicker from Pearland, TX, as ASU’s second early pledge from the 2022 class.

Take a look at Marshall’s highlights here: